Roses are universally popular, but I’ve never been sure. The blooms are gorgeous, yet the foliage and thorns can be a bit mmhhhh. This year though, the hot dry spell followed by cool rains have boosted their growth. I’ve chosen, perhaps for the first time ever, a rose theme for #SixOnSaturday.

First up is a non-fragrant shrub rose that I keep because there are always so MANY flowers. So many this year that the branches are weighed down to the ground. I’ve cut lots for vases, and there are lots more.

Against the west wall, in the teeth of the prevailing wind, a peachy little number loves the breeze.

Nearby, a rose is busy trying to grow through a forsythia that really needs a good prune. Not sure about the raspberry ripple colours here.

Hard against the west wall of the house is a climber that I need to keep tying into supports to stop it thrashing around. It rewards me with sprays of pure white blooms, these a little pock-marked in purple by the rain.

I love this new one. A David Austin rose, possibly Strawberry Hill. the blooms are fist sized, full and smell slightly spicy. Only knee-high this year, but I think this one will reach 1-2m.

Last, yet very much not least. This looks like a very old rose, clearly been here for many many years. Old fashioned, huge thorns and massive blooms (an out-stretched hand’s width). They have a really classic ‘rose’ smell. Perhaps I’ll save the petals and try to make rose tincture, tea, or syrup.

You’ll have seen from the water drops that our weather is….Scottish….I guess it is a relief that we’re not having the 40 deg C heatwave that is plaguing countries a bit further south. Great weather for growing kale, not sure about my squash…hold your breath for a veg-special coming on a Saturday soon.

Join the sixes on Mastodon via #SixOnSaturday, but we need a few more folk to toot on the topic: come join us. All you need to do is find 6 things in your garden to show us. Then post on social, or add a link at Jim’s blog below. For regulars, our organiser is Jim at https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. Also on twitter @JamesLStephens. And I’m on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot

A mixed bag of gardening weather this week: cool and rainy has resulted in some sulking in the veg patch, yet lush growth elsewhere. The heat is back this weekend, along with storms, so hoping that the garden isn’t flattened by winds and rain. In the meantime, I’m faced with the luxury of wondering what to choose for #SixOnSaturday. I went for orange.

Having never had much luck with California Poppy, a few have popped this month. I do hope they self-seed this time.

In shadier spots, euphorbia have faded to a pleasing restful delicate orange.

Not so the nasturtium, who face the world with the hottest boldest orange they can muster.

Even in my dry cool Fife garden, it is proving to be a wonderful season for roses. Here are some surprisingly lovely orange roses in the evening light. They are sneaking a peak over the garden wall.

Back to bold and beautiful with a scattering of tall lilies in the flower borders. I usually grow many in pots, and most have been devastatingly nibbled by lily beetle. these have snuck past their gaze.

For my finale, I’m not sure if this dahlia is orange, but it IS called Tangerine Dream. It’s the first (of many I hope) to flower this year and is loving the hot dry sunny corner its pot has landed in.

Stay safe, take care out there, and don’t forget to follow the crowd on various instances of the Fediverse. Join the sixes on Mastodon via #SixOnSaturday, but we need a few more folk to toot on the topic: come join us. All you need to do is find 6 things in your garden to show us. Then post on social, or add a link at Jim’s blog below. For regulars, our organiser is Jim at https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. Also on twitter @JamesLStephens. And I’m on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot

Summer seems to fly so fast. We’re in July, wow. Normal summer has returned to Scotland. Breezy, cool, showers, and lots of trying to stop plants being knocked over by weather. Colours are gorgeous. I decided to settle on fabulous pink for my #SixOnSaturday this week.

Summer wouldn’t be summer without pelargoniums. I have managed to get a range to overwinter in the greenhouse. Just have the one plant with pink flowers, and here it is (perhaps I need to propagate).

It is a great rose year. Mostly for others, I’ve never managed to do well with roses, and have no idea why. here’s a lovely little one, lots of fabulous flowers, but sadly no scent.

I have come to lovely hardy geranium, the plants spread well, cover the ground, are all shapes and sizes, and lots of lovely flowers. These ones are low growing, with lots of tiny flowers.

Somehow, clematis have beaten the drought and pulled out all the stops for us. Wow.

A new plant for me (that’s a rarity). Dianthus, satisfyingly grown from seed. I’m keen on these.

And as we swing into July, my garden still holds some of the joy of early summer. Foxglove.

Stay safe, take care out there, and don’t forget to follow the crowd on various instances of the Fediverse. Join the sixes on Mastodon via #SixOnSaturday, but we need a few more folk to toot on the topic: come join us. All you need to do is find 6 things in your garden to show us. Then post on social, or add a link at Jim’s blog below. For regulars, our organiser is Jim at https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. Also on twitter @JamesLStephens. And I’m now mostly on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot

I’m just back from a wonderful holiday in Alto Adige (northern Italy, also known as Sud Tyrol), there’s so much to do in the garden. I’ve therefore grabbed a few cheerful shots of yellow loveliness and that might have to do for this week’s #SixOnSaturday

Stay safe, take care out there, and don’t forget to follow the crowd on various instances of the Fediverse. Join the sixes on Mastodon via #SixOnSaturday, but we need a few more folk to toot on the topic: come join us. All you need to do is find 6 things in your garden to show us. Then post on social, or add a link at Jim’s blog below. For regulars, our organiser is Jim at https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. Also on twitter @JamesLStephens. And I’m now mostly on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot

Meteorological summer came in with a bit of a wimper with cold haar off the coast. Yet the last couple of days have burned it all back to glorious sunshine. Thus, it has to be red for a red-hot summer feeling for this weeks #SixOnSaturday

Almost red, this slightly orange euphorbia is a hot shock in the border and also great as a cut flower.

Huge, hand-sized poppies always signal the start of summer in my garden. This year it is dry and windless, so upwards they push.

In the driest spots, next to the hot south facing house wall, red valerian has found its happy place.

The first of the peony are out and having a go. There has been a long dry spell here, so I’m not sure how long they will last, but each one is a lushous expression of early summer.

My garden must be host to a very early variety of red hot poker. I seem them everywhere, all summer long, but this one is very much an early summer number.

Last this week is the joy of lupin when there has been a calm dry spell. Straight up, no wind rock, no rain damage. Gorgeous.

How did we get to June so fast when the winter seemed to drag on forever? Ah well, here we are. I must remember to spend some time ambling the borders and focus a bit less on the beg bad (more on that at the end of the month).

Stay safe, take care out there, and don’t forget to follow the crowd on various instances of the Fediverse. Join the sixes on Mastodon via #SixOnSaturday, but we need a few more folk to toot on the topic: come join us. All you need to do is find 6 things in your garden to show us. Then post on social, or add a link at Jim’s blog below. For regulars, our organiser is Jim at https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. Also on twitter @JamesLStephens. And I’m now mostly on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot

At this time of year, i always wish I’d booked some time off to spend more time in the garden, rather than for going away…doesn’t seem to matter how much time you have in may, it is never enough! As spring surges on, here are some pure white (almost) blooms for this week’s #SixOnSaturday.

A calming bloom from one of my rowan trees will start us off this week. Look lovely, though have an odd, almost ‘too sweet’ perfume.

Insects are abounding now, a bee is enjoying the nectar provided by an elegant swathe of Solomon’s seal.

Along with the pesky Spanish Bluebells come some variants in pure white. It would be nice to have more of these, they glow and glisten in the evening.

Strawberry flowers are a little more interesting when you move close. This one was, as a some sort of hover fly bee mimic was sitting nearby.

Into the veg garden, and broad beans are looking very promising. These do have a really pretty flower.

My last offering this week is the wonderful floatiness of cow parsley. Its grows all over my garden, and right now the drifts it makes a simply a delight.

Stay safe, take care out there, and don’t forget to follow the crowd on various instances of the Fediverse. Join the sixes on Mastodon via #SixOnSaturday, but we need a few more folk to toot on the topic: come join us. All you need to do is find 6 things in your garden to show us. Then post on social, or add a link at Jim’s blog below. For regulars, our organiser is Jim at https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. Also on twitter @JamesLStephens. And I’m now mostly on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot

A warm dry spell. Garden seems to grow a few cm per day. I’m actually having to water the veg beds. In May! And it is becoming hard to try and share the lovely lushness of my favourite month. So glancing around, it seemed time to start on some colour themes for #SixOnSaturday. It had to be blue.

Mostly because the Spanish bluebells are totally rampant. I do need to try and pull some up, but its hard to do so when they offer so much beautiful blue.

Very soon another huge thug will come to dominate. For now, aquilegia are just coming into their own. What lovely shape, form and colour.

A rather sad shrub, seems to be a bit dead and ugly below the 1m top, but on the top…ceanothus is glowing with blueness. Perhaps I will risk a major prune once the flowering is over.

Vinca (periwinkle) creeps around the dry south facing walls of the house, makes it through all weathers and loves a drought.

A local wildflower, green alkanet (is it related to speedwell?) pushes up to 1m with huge furry green stems and delicate little flower. I guess it keeps the uglier weeds down.

Perennial cornflower has come from nowhere these last few weeks and is now lush and full of flower. Another plant that loves a dry spot.

I hope this weeks six brought some joy and didn’t make you feel blue. My garden is certainly a welcome solace for me at the moment. Stay safe, take care out there, and don’t forget to follow the crowd on various instances of the Fediverse. Join the sixes on Mastodon via #SixOnSaturday, but we need a few more folk to toot on the topic: come join us. All you need to do is find 6 things in your garden to show us. Then post on social, or add a link at Jim’s blog below. For regulars, our organiser is Jim at https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. Also on twitter @JamesLStephens. And I’m now mostly on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot

The speed of growing lushness in the garden is something that newly amazes me year after year. The cold of winter drifts away, and WoooooSH, everything grows and grows and grows as the evenings draw out. This week, I’m using colour and shape to celebrate what I guess is now the middle of my favourite spring season for this week’s #SixOnSaturday

The delicacy of apple blossom is my first this week. There is something very special about the gentle drift from white to pink across each petal. Not to mention the delicate scent.

Another spring favourite, moving through the rhododendron collection, a white one is now throwing itself into a hedge full of bloom, Here’s one.

Just a regular garden fern, but WOW, the perfect spiral it displays just before unfurling is a true wonder of nature.

May would not be May without a flush of bluebells. These are the Spanish ones. I do need to get a grip on removing some as they really are taking over the garden. I do love the colour.

And even more wow is the shocking pink of the candelabra primula, now in their second year, they are very happy in the boggy pond margin.

Another blue to end. A recent purchase, I wonder if I can coax this meconopsis to make it through more than 1 season. We shall see. For now, it is glorious.

Stay safe, take care out there, and don’t forget to follow the crowd on various instances of the Fediverse. Join the sixes on Mastodon via #SixOnSaturday, but we need a few more folk to toot on the topic: come join us. All you need to do is find 6 things in your garden to show us. Then post on social, or add a link at Jim’s blog below. For regulars, our organiser is Jim at https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. Also on twitter @JamesLStephens. And I’m now mostly on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot

A dreich week in eastern Scotland, low cloud, mist, chilly easterly breeze. Yet I had to get out and pop the plant supports in: growth is bursting forth. With too many blooms to choose from, I’ve gone off-piste this week to show you how my home-grown veg is coming on for #SixOnSaturday.

I will start in the greenhouse. This year, I’m pleased I’ve left the courgettes in here, as there have been many cold nights. I’ve only got 2 decent plants so far, so busy sowing more seeds. This is waiting for warmer nights to be put into a hopefully-sunny spot.

Lots of tomatoes are now braving the greenhouse. This one is a ‘sprawling bush’ variety, called Urbukany, should be producing fruit in 6 weeks or so. It’s in its final position now, in prime position in the south-west corner of the greenhouse bench.

I tried a new trick this spring. Growing pak choi in a tub that can be moved in and out of the greenhouse as the weather dictates. Has been very successful, with no slug or bird damage at all. And I have baby plants ready to go in for crop 2.

Into the cold of the veg bed. Broad beans were planted out in mid-March. They have shivered their way into growth but are beginning to kick into growth now.

I recently planted out a few broccoli. Despite being thrashed about by a gale, they are looking perky now.

Last, but very much not least, I am in the process of planting a new strawberry bed. Although not all of the plants are in yet, some of them are developing flowers. Lots of promise for the eating season ahead.

Stay safe, take care out there, and don’t forget to follow the crowd on Mastodon. Join the sixes on Mastodon via #SixOnSaturday (other instances in the Fediverse are available), but we need a few more folk to toot on the topic: come join us. All you need to do is find 6 things in your garden to show us. Then post on social, or add a link at Jim’s blog below. For regulars, our organiser is Jim at https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. Also on twitter @JamesLStephens. And I’m now mostly on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot

From a warm week, to the next with 4 nights of frost and day-time highs of 7 deg C — I’ve been fleecing the sweet peas. I guess a good thing about a cold snap is that spring bulbs last longer. Let’s celebrate that with a tulip-special for #SixOnSaturday.

I’ve gone for a few new ones this year….perhaps the most purple variety I have tried yet, I like the rich colour of these.

As a contrast, nearby there’s a pot of tulips with a sort of spiky flower, in hot pink. Nice.

I managed to get hold of a range of ‘species tulips’ this year, the ones closest to the wild-type that grow in eastern Turkey. These are lovely, each flower about the size of the top-joint of a thumb. Not out yet, but I bet they burst open soon.

Another pretty pink, this variety are enormous, and the centre of the flower holds a rich black portion.

I think I’m going to like these too when they fully flower, a sort of orange-to-pink, they look like they have been painted.

And finally, last year’s tulip display got a bit out of hand, but I managed to keep a load of bulbs and plant into the borders later. So as well as the pots, I now have some in the garden. This low border looks particularly good with an array of red tulips providing some colour before the perennials get going. It was worth the extra effort.

Stay safe, take care out there, and don’t forget to follow the crowd on Mastodon. Join the sixes on Mastodon via #SixOnSaturday (other instances in the Fediverse are available), but we need a few more folk to toot on the topic: come join us. All you need to do is find 6 things in your garden to show us. Then post on social, or add a link at Jim’s blog below. For regulars, our organiser is Jim at https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. Also on twitter @JamesLStephens. And I’m now mostly on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot